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Rigging Juglines For Jug Fishing

As many of you know a number of years ago I developed some juglines called Redneck’s Juglines using closed cell polyethylene foam (similar to swimming pool noodles). When I began marketing the Redneck’s Original Jugline for Jug Fishing . This form of “noodle catfish jugs” were nonexistent and I had no idea theywould become so popular. There are people everywhere making different variations of my Original Juglines and Flagging Juglines today and some attempting to sell them commercially.

I have been getting a lot of questions through the “ask a question page” about rigging juglines for jug fishing, I started down this path when I added the jug fishing page but there is really so much information about jug fishing that I cannot cover it in a few articles so I will have to add this information in pieces and you will always be able to find links to these articles on the jug fishing page.

Following are the instructions that I wrote a number of years ago for rigging Redneck’s Juglines that walk you step by step how to rig then for anchored jug lines (with a weight at the bottom so they remain stationary.

I am going to rewrite these at some point and add some photos, video and additional information on rigging but wanted to post these for now.

Keep in mind that these instructions were written specifically for Redneck’s Juglines so there are several mentions about foam etc. If you are using bleach bottles or two liter soda bottles etc for jugs they can be rigged the same way.

Again, these instructions are for rigging them anchored (with a weight at the bottom). I am not going to go into detail on this page about rigging free floating lines but will add these at a later time.

Determine what length you would like your main line to be. The main line needs to be 5 feet longer than the deepest water you will fish with your jugs. For example, if you will be fishing 25 feet at the deepest, then the mainline should be 30 feet long.

Measure the mainline to the length you determine and cut both ends. Melt them with a lighter to keep them from fraying.

I suggest using a slip knot to attach the mainline to the fishing jug. If you tie a slipknot on the jug mainline, the harder you pull on your jug, the more your knot strengthens.

You now need to determine at what depths you want your stagings to be. I prefer to have two stagings, one staging 3 feet from the bottom and one staging 6 feet from the bottom.

Some states regulate how many hooks you can have per jug line (like 5 in Texas). I suggest that you fish with two and no more than three hooks on one jugline. I simply prefer 2 hooks because 5 is just too cumbersome. You have far more tangles when you have 5 hooks, and the bottom two hooks always seem to be most productive.

If you have five hooks, and 50 Lbs of ticked off blue cat on the bottom hook, it can be fairly dangerous. If you do decide to add a third hook I suggest placing the third hook 12 feet from the bottom.

Now that you have determined what depth you would like your stagings you need to attach your swivels to the mainline.

Attach the swivels to the mainline with an offshore swivel knot. DO NOT CUT THE MAINLINE AND USE THREE WAY SWIVELS.

Now your ready to attach your leaders to your hooks.

For this step you will need #9 twine. You need to get the leader line to length I suggest making the leaders 9” long so you will need an 18” piece of the #9 braided nylon twine.

Pull both ends of the leader together and insert them through the eye of the hook (you need to make sure you use a hook with a large enough eye like the Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp Circle Sea Offset Circle Hooks – Model L197). Pull the two ends through the eye and then pull them back through the loop on the other side of the eye and pull them tight. Once you have pulled the leader line tight on the hook, tie an overhand knot above it so it will not slip or move. Now tie the two loose ends of the leader together with an overhand knot.

Now your ready to attach your hooks and leaders to your swivels on the mainline. Insert the loose ends with the overhand knot through the eye on the swivel. Once you have pulled a few inches of the leader through the swivel, pull the hook around and pull the hook through the middle of the leader line and pull the hook until the leader is tight on the swivel.

Now roll the line around the PVC between the bottom of the foam and the metal eyelet. Roll the line as tight as possible, and when you get to a swivel, pull the leader up to the top of the jug and insert the hook into the foam. Repeat this process until you have all the line rolled up and all of the hooks inserted in the top of the foam.

Now your at the end of the mainline with all the line rolled around the PVC, and you need a weight. You can use anything you want as a weight for your jugs, and weight is just a matter of preference. I use about 1 lb but any amount of weight will work, just as long as you have enough weight to hold the jug in place. Just remember that the less weight that you use, the more a fish will be able to move a jug and the harder you may have to look for it.

Some common items that are easily obtainable and often used as weights are:

Railroad Spikes

12 Oz Plastic cup filled with concrete with a wire loop in the top

Large Nuts (if you find them big enough you can leave the nut tied to the line and insert the PVC in the jug through the center of the nut for storage)

1 Lb dumbbells (available at any sporting goods retailer)

If you want to store your jugs and weights separate, just tie a large (5/0) snap swivel on the end of the mainline, and use a 12 Oz Plastic cup filled with concrete with a wire loop in the top and attach your weights as your setting your jugs.

To get a full in depth training on how to make the best catfish juglines, rigging them and even details on the best baits to use and exactly how to find locations to set your fishing jugs check out our Jug Fishing 101 training course.